8/2. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 684 — Start and End Ramadan by Crescent Sighting
What Has Been Related About: Do Not Precede The Month With Fasting
Fast With Moon Sighting: Ramadan Crescent Hadith
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 684
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 684
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقَدَّمُوا الشَّهْرَ بِيَوْمٍ وَلاَ بِيَوْمَيْنِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُوَافِقَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمًا كَانَ يَصُومُهُ أَحَدُكُمْ صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَعُدُّوا ثَلاَثِينَ ثُمَّ أَفْطِرُوا " . رَوَى مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْمُعْتَمِرِ عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ حِرَاشٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِنَحْوِ هَذَا . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ كَرِهُوا أَنْ يَتَعَجَّلَ الرَّجُلُ بِصِيَامٍ قَبْلَ دُخُولِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ لِمَعْنَى رَمَضَانَ وَإِنْ كَانَ رَجُلٌ يَصُومُ صَوْمًا فَوَافَقَ صِيَامُهُ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ عِنْدَهُمْ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet Said: "Do Not Precede The Month With A Day Nor With Two Days, Unless That Fast Falls On A Day That One Of You Would Have (Normally) Fasted. Fast With Its Sighting And Break Fast With Its Sighting, And If It Is Cloudy, Then Count For Thirty Days, And Then Break (The Fast)."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 684In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 3English translation : Vol. 2, Book 3, Hadith 684
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 684
This hadith about Ramadan moon sighting gives clear guidance for the start and end of fasting. The Prophet said not to precede the month by fasting one or two days, unless that day matches a fast a person normally keeps. He then said to fast with the sighting of the crescent and break fast with its sighting. If the sky is cloudy, the instruction is to count thirty days and then end the fast. The hadith teaches order and caution. Ramadan should not be entered by guessing or rushing. At the same time, a person’s regular voluntary fast is not treated like a false start to Ramadan.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not start Ramadan early by fasting one or two days before it.
- A regular fast that happens to fall then is treated differently.
- The beginning and ending of Ramadan are tied to crescent sighting or completing thirty days.
